Wanna Swap?
by Seraph05
Summary: Kagome and Akane made a scheme to escape the annoyances in their lives. But how will Ranma and InuYasha take it?
1. Wanna Swap?

"Dance?"

"Yeah Ranma, why don't you ask Akane? She's such a babe" Ranma sat eating lunch with his friends contemplating the issue.

"Why would I want to go with a macho chick like her? She probably can even dance anywa-"

"Oh and you can Ranma?"

"Wha-?" Ranma looked over his shoulder just in time to see Akane's fist slamming into his face. Ranma smashed through the ceiling and flew into the blue sky.

"Hmph!" Akane dusted off her hands and turned to walk away when…

"Oh lovely Akane, Ranma has abandoned you. Fear not I, Kuno, will take you to the schools dance!" Kuno took Akane's hand in his making his promise on bent knee.

"Kuno…"Akane said softly, one hand gently on his wrist "WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO WITH RANMA INSTEAD!" Akane then threw Kuno roughly into the air.

"Honestly!" she fumed exiting the lunch room. Meanwhile Ranma was crawling out of a park lake when something landed on him.

"Why that thick, foul tempered macho UH!" Ranma grumbled pushing the unconscious body off him.

"Hey, Kuno!" Ranma muttered bonking Kuno on his head till his eyes slowly opened. Then widened.

"Pig-tailed-girl!" He shouted leaping to his knees, grabbing Ranma in a tight embrace "Come to the dance with me, my goddess!"

"NOT ON YOUR LIFE!" Ranma screamed bashing Kuno back into the lake. Squeezing out her red hair the very womanly Ranma marched off angrily down the street towards the Tendo School of anything goes martial arts dojo, his current home.

"Stupid Akane"

* * *

"Hmmm Furinkan High dance. Underage party…bring a friend and even students not of that school are allowed to attend eh?" Kagome jumped down an old well in her grandpa's shrine as she read the leaflet. 

"I wonder if Inu-Yasha would come with me…" Kagome thought wistfully until a picture of Inu-Yasha, sword in hand peering untrustingly at the loud speakers entered her mind.

"Maybe not" she said to herself landing lightly at the bottom of the well. She sighed and was about to shove the leaflet into her pocket when she noticed the date. Her face lit up and she put it away. The dance was on the night of the new moon. He would be human. Kagome jumped out of the well very cheerily.

"Where have you been? You said only one day! It's been three!" Kagome's usual greeting party of four consisting of Sango, Miroku, Shippo and of course the loud mouth Inu-Yasha stood before her. Kagome's good mood was slightly dampened but not ruined.

"Sorry but if I had said I would be gone for three days then you wouldn't have let me go would you?" Kagome rebutted fiercely.

"Of course not! We don't have time for your stupid tests!" Inu-Yasha growled an annoyed expression controlling his face.

"I well I don't have time to be arguing with you! SIT!" Kagome ended the argument with Inu-Yasha being crunched into the ground.

"Why…you" Inu-Yasha snapped but Kagome was already leading Sango, Miroku and Shippo away from the clearing.

"So good to have you back lady Kagome" Sango fondly stated.

"Thank you Sango. So what are we going after today?" Kagome asked politely.

"Well we're going to go check out a supposed rather large cat demon plaguing a town not far from here" Miroku answered filling Kagome in on the details.

"Oh yeah, I can definitely sense a Shikon shard over in that direction…"

"HEY!" Inu-Yasha shouted as they disappeared from view.

"Curse her"

* * *

Ranma lay sulking on the roof watching the sunset. Akane had gotten into a weird mood. He had been whacked with a mallet three times, been sent flying twice, and had managed to be hit with any large objects at random five times by his 'lovely' fiancé. Just then Shampoo landed her bike next to Ranma. 

"Nihao Ranma! Take Shampoo to dance instead of nasty Akane" Shampoo insisted smothering Ranma lovingly.

"Well…actually…I was kinda…" Ranma stuttered weakly blushing.

"Go ahead ask her! I don't care; you'll make a great couple!" Akane seemed to appear from nowhere tossing a bucket of water over them. Ranma's greatest fear appeared as he turned into a girl.

"Get off me!" Ranma cried running around the roof, Shampoo the cat grasping his shoulder. Ranma ceased the courage to grab the cat and fling it off him. Huffing he said,

"That dose it! I don't know what's wrong with you but I'm not gonna to take anyone to no stupid dance! Specially not you!" Ranma shouted letting the whole day's frustrations out. Akane took a surprised step back.

"I see…" she turned around and jumped down off the roof to the ground.

"A-Akane wait!" Ranma shouted after her.

"Shut up!" only to find a large rock being hurled in his direction. Akane stomped into the training hall then proceeded to begin her daily training with the punching bag.

"Ranma you idiot! Jerk! Jerk! Jerk!" she roared hitting the bag on every word "I HATE YOU!"

"I'll just go to the dance with someone else!" She said to herself "Maybe Ryoga…" she pondered while an un-noticed small black piglet, aka Ryoga, sat eyes sparkling joyfully in the corner

"Or maybe someone new…"

* * *

Inu-Yasha tugged playfully at Kagome's new cat ears. 

"Sorry Kagome. I can't believe that cat demon was going to make you his mate by turning you into one of him" Shippo apologised.

"Yeah if it weren't for me you'd be a complete cat demon by now" Inu-Yasha sniggered.

"Get off me I'm going home!" Kagome snapped moodily slapping Inu-Yasha's hands off her ears.

"You can't!" Inu-Yasha growled grabbing Kagomes wrist.

"Unfortunately, Kagome, Inu-Yasha is right. You can't go back to your world with ears like those. Now that the cat-demon is dead they will go back to normal soon enough" Miroku tried to explain but during her rescue Inu-Yasha had said a couple of his trademark insensitive comments to Kagome and now she wouldn't have a bar of it.

"I'll wear a hat!" Kagome hissed "Let go! SIT!" Having said sit many times that day she watched Inu-Yasha slam into the ground, hard without care.

"I'll come back when I feel like it!" Kagome spat huffily walking into the wood towards the well. Once she suspected she was out of earshot she voiced her thoughts.

"I can't believe I was going to ask him to the dance! Like he would come with me anyway! I bet he'd take Kikyo!" Kagome stewed angrily. The well came into her sights and she sighed.

"Finally"

Kagome swung one leg over the side of the well however before she could jump in something grabbed her by the back of her shirt. It was Inu-Yasha.

"What dance?" Kagome glared up at Inu-Yasha but explained anyway.

"I was going to ask you to come to a dance; it's like a big celebration, with me. It's on the night of the next full moon in my world but I think I'd rather just go by myself" Kagome's true disappointment showed, and Inu-Yasha's expression grew a little softer but then her fury returned " If you don't let go of me then I'll use the 's' word again"

"Feh!" Inu-Yasha barked, his grip releasing, Kagome slipped down the well and out of sight. Inu-Yasha couldn't help a smirk as he remembered her soft black cat ears.

"They did look cute on her" he thought silently to himself, turning away from the well.

Kagome clambered out of the well and was going to head home when she changed her mind.

"I think I'll go have a milk shake" she sighed pulling her hood over her ears, still disappointed with Inu-Yasha.

* * *

Akane finished drying her hair and got dressed. 

"Hey Akane" Ranma poked his head through her bedroom door.

"Hey" Akane said calmly watering a new pot plant on her windowsill. Noticing Akane's change of cloths he asked.

"Where are you going?"

"Out"

"Where?"

Ranma flinched as Akane turned her cold gaze on him. Then she left the room dropping the watering can full of water on Ranma's head. Then a sharp pain spiked in his wrist.

"Ryoga, you little cad. Get off or I'll pound you! " Ranma said to the piglet bashing it on the ground till it let go. Ranma decided to have to bath to become a boy again. Such a fuss over a stupid dance.

"Dumb girls, always being so damn emotional" Ranma pouted lowering himself into the warm bath water. Soon enough Ranma's manly physique was returned to him. He reached out for a family heirloom towel but as he pulled it off the towel rail it caught, ripping in half. Ranma stared at it worriedly.

"Great! Just what I need! A bad omen!" he complained sinking deeper into the steamy water.

* * *

Kagome checked that her hood was still substantially hiding her ears as she requested a thick shake. 

"Chocolate please" Kagome ordered with a heavy sigh.

"Here's your shake miss, would you like a free chocolate bar with that?" the girl behind the counter asked politely.

"Uh…yes please" Kagome answered receiving her shake. She walked towards a free seat near a window.

"He's so arrogant and inconsiderate and-" Kagome frowned and looked over her shoulder at what sounded like someone describing Inu-Yasha. It was a girl with short dark hair, sitting by herself, drinking a slushy, a frown on her pretty face.

"Loudmouth, rude, any of these sound right?" Kagome asked a small smile growing on her lips.

"Huh?" Akane looked up from her slushy at the long haired girl leaning over the seat and grinning at her.

"If you're another one of Ranma's fiancé's…" Akane stood up glaring at the girl.

"Whoa! I've never heard of Ranma I thought the person you were describing sounded like someone I know. Sorry, my name's Kagome" Kagome quickly explained holding out her hand.

"I apologise Kagome. My name's Akane" she said shaking Kagomes hand "I was talking about my, not by choice, fiancé. His name's Ranma and well…" Akane dove into her long story about Ranma and herself and Ryoga and Shampoo and so on. Kagome listened to Akane's stories with a great deal of enjoyment then proceeded to tell Akane all about her adventures in the past with her fiery dog demon and her friend, both stories as implausible as each other, yet to the pair of girls completely believable after their experiences. They both ordered another drink and continued becoming more familiar with each other.

"And then Ranma was kissed by Mikenzo! That was his first kiss! Ha ha ha ha" Akane laughed, Kagome joining in.

"Ha ha ha ha! Hey, you sound like a pretty assertive person. But…I bet you couldn't handle Inu-Yasha" Kagome giggled.

"Ho! You have to be pretty tough to keep Ranma in line!" Akane smiled sipping some more milkshake. The two girls held a long silence then they both looked up at the same time.

"What if we traded places? I mean you go on adventures with Inu-Yasha and I live with Ranma" Kagome suggested.

"Yeah but…" Akane thought out aloud trying to imagine how to make it work.

"You go to Inu-Yasha tell him you're me. Tell him you've cut your hair. If you can shoot arrows and you know karate I'm sure you'll be fine and the others will protect you too. Finding Shikon shards may be a bit more difficult but if you just tell them to attack big demons you ought to find them." Kagome schemed, her prominent anger driving her to go through with her plans.

"That's true. Um just cut your hair, put on some attitude and hit Ranma when he's rude or insensitive. However there are a few things you must do" Akane described "There's a girl with long purple hair, if she should get cuddly with Ranma I want you to hit him. Do the same if a girl called Kodachi or Ukyo gets cuddly with him. In fact when in doubt-"

"Hit him right?" Kagome's laughed.

"You got it" Akane answered.

"Now for my rules. When I don't like what Inu-Yasha is doing I usually say sit which causes him to slam into the ground but it only works with me so you'll just have to bash him but I think your capable of doing that. You should come back for a couple of days so we can talk and abort if necessary. Oh and you'll have to live in my house for a few days and wear my cloths so you'll get my scent. Inu-Yasha will notice if you don't smell like me, he really likes my scent."

"You're scent?" Akane asked, surprised.

"Yep. Well he is a dog demon" Kagome replied.

"One thing" Kagome warned "No one must know about the portal to the past" Akane's face when serious.

"Of course"

"Here. Be very, very careful this is very important" Kagome handed Akane the shikon shard "Are you sure you want to do this…" she questioned a sudden spark of doubt filling her heart as the Shard fell into Akane's hands.

"Yes. After Ranma handling, your world sound like a breeze. I'll take good care of this shard; you needn't worry about it at all." Akane said gazing at the beautiful jewel. They stood up and left, spending the next two hours familiarising each other with their daily surroundings, getting haircuts, visiting a shrine and dojo. By the end of the day they organised to meet at the God Tree in a week's time.


	2. What would you do?

What would you do?

It was already pretty dark when Kagome climbed through her new bedroom window. She flopped onto the soft bed and took in her surroundings. It was quite nice and neat too. This was Akane's bedroom. Tomorrow she would go to school with Ranma and face Akane's daily life. Just then a little black piglet jumped up onto the bed. Kagome sat up straight but relaxed when she saw what it was.

"P-Chan…oh you're so cute!" Kagome exclaimed hugging him "I'll need you to look after me" She sighed searching through Akane's draws for pyjamas. Kagome got changed and slipped into bed.

"Sleep well, my P-Chan"

* * *

Akane jumped down the well easily managing the mammoth back pack of supplies Kagome had packed. She landed at the bottom of the well and climbed up looking around. 

"WOW!" Akane gasped staring around at the country side that had replaced the city.

"Kagome I-" a boy with long white hair, gold flashing eyes and a surprised look on his face landed right next to Akane giving her a huge fright. He glared at her questionably.

"I cut my hair…DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!" Akane screamed slapping Inu-Yasha clear across the face. He took a few steps back, holding his cheek and staring eyes wide.

"What?" Inu-Yasha stuttered but before he could go on Miroku stumbled through the bushes, half asleep.

"Lady Kagome…I didn't think you would be returning to us so soon. Since it is late though I suggest we suspend arguments, explanations and apologies till morning and join the others in a bit of well deserved slumber" Miroku yawned.

"Good idea" Akane agreed thankful for being saved till morning at least, she followed the sleepy monk quickly not wanting to confront the dog demon walking behind them. They walked into a clearing where two people, a woman and a little boy, were already sleeping close to a warm fire. The monk curled up near the fire as well, Akane close behind, glad for the heat it provided. However she lay awake, jumping at the strange noises in the night. Kagome had told her about the strange monsters that lived in this time and although she had also said Inu-Yasha would not let her life come to any harm, Akane couldn't help but shiver at the scratching and howling in the forests surrounding them. Eventually she sat up and looked for a weapon. Noticing Miroku's staff she crawled over and took it and lay back down feeling a little better now she had some small means of defence. She turned over and noticed Inu-Yasha, staring with unblinking eyes at her. She closed her eyes tight hoping he would just go to sleep, eventually drifting off to sleep herself.

* * *

Kagome looked at her reflection in the mirror. The blue dress and white shirt certainly was a change from her skirt and T-shirt, sailor style. She walked nervously down the hallway holding P-Chan tight. Looking left and right she slipped into the dining room and sat down for breakfast. 

"Akane, dear will you go wake up Ranma?" a pretty girl with long hair, tied up, asked.

"Ok" Kagome agreed running out of the room. All Kagome wanted to do was eat breakfast and go to school, beginning to wonder how good this swapping idea was.

"Ranma?" Kagome said opening a door. It was a girl's room. Kagome shut the door.

"Was it first door on the right…or…no it was third" Kagome muttered trying to remember which instructions of Akane's led to Ranma's room. Kagome went to the third door and opened it.

"A-Akane"

Kagome stared, blushing madly with embarrassment, at Ranma holding a large teapot drenched in hot water and a naked girl with long purple hair standing next to him. Kagome slammed the door and ran back to the living room.

"I'm going to skip breakfast this morning can I please just have my lunch" Kagome pleaded wanting to leave as quickly as possible.

"Yes here" Kasumi beamed handing Kagome her lunch.

"Thank you so much!" Kagome bowed. She bolted through the hallway out the front door and down the street. Kagome pulled out a map Akane had drawn to show her where her high school was. Kagome followed it carefully until…

"Akane! Akane!" The boy who she had seen this morning was chasing after. That girl he was with had purple hair maybe she was Shampoo. So… if the boy should talk to her she should be angry and by no means apologetic. The boy landed in front of her and Kagome frowned.

"What is it?" Kagome asked trying to sound angry despite the red that bloomed in her cheeks at the memory of her first view of him.

"Aren't you even going to listen to what I have to say?" Ranma shouted angrily. Kagome kept walking but stared at him in acceptance.

"Shampoo came into my room as a cat and I grabbed a pot of hot water so I could turn into a guy to get away faster and she tried to knock it out of my hands and it spilt all over us ok!" Ranma explain with a pout, blushing despite himself.

"Feh!" Kagome mimicked Inu-Yasha's favourite sulking word as she reached the school gates. All of a sudden she was swept off her feet and carried into the school grounds.

"Oh Akane, Ranma will haunt you no longer. Come with me" the boy with short brown hair and a gi on pleaded.

"Let go of me, help!" Kagome struggled and squealed "Leave me alone!"

"Please accept Kuno's kiss!" Kuno asked leaning towards Kagome.

"AHHHHHHH!" she screamed. All of a sudden Ranma's leg came from no where kicking Kuno hard, sending him flying across the yard. He caught Kagome and set her back on her feet. Ranma stared at her with a disbelieving, shocked stare.

"What's wrong with you? Why didn't you hit him? A macho chick like you-" Ranma began but Kagome butted in.

"Don't call me that!" she snapped then remembered Inu-Yasha, stopping her in mid speech. Ranma put his hand on her forehead.

"Are you ill?" he asked Kagome looked away blushing.

"I hate you, you're such a jerk! First you save me then insult me and when I don't hit you, you say I'm sick! I wish I could make you SIT!" Kagome growled pushing past him and walking into the school building leaving Ranma fairly confused.

* * *

Akane slowly opened her eyes to see the sun risen over the horizon. She turned over wanting to go back to sleep but she was given no such luxury. 

"Your awake finally" she heard Inu-Yasha groan.

"Good morning" Shippo said cheerily.

"Morning" Akane sighed sitting up and stretching.

"A village has asked us to go exterminate a rather large snake demon that's been killing of their livestock. So lets go" Inu-Yasha commented standing up.

"Yeah sure" Akane got wobbly to her feet and started packing her things. When she was done she put the huge yellow backpack on.

"Which way?" Akane asked groggily.

"Kirara" Sango said to a cute little kitten sitting next to her. Akane smiled and went over to pat it when it suddenly became engulfed in flame and turned into a horse sized lion like demon.

"AHH!" Akane shouted jumping back.

"Don't be silly Kagome" Shippo laughed as Sango and Miroku jumped onto the demon.

"Kagome, hurry up!" Inu-Yasha ordered turning his back to her, looking at her over his shoulder. Akane started panicking she had no idea what she was supposed to do. Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes and sighed. Then he walked over to Akane and flung her onto his back.

"Hold on" he snorted.

"Wha-" but before Akane could take a breath Inu-Yasha pelted into the forest leaping and jumping at an incredible hight and speed. Akane wrapped her arms around Inu-Yasha tight, finding herself enjoying it after a while.

"This is kinda fun!" she gasped, smiling. Inu-Yasha looked back at her, confused. Akane realised the real Kagome would be use to this kind of thing.

"Heh, sorry" Akane apologised hoping he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. The group came to a halt outside the village and a couple of people came out to greet them.

"So where is the demon?" Sango asked in professional voice. Akane recalled that before joining Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Shippo and Miroku Sango had been a demon exterminator.

"The hole it comes out of is over there" one of the villages said pointing.

"Well…" she said examining the hole "Then I guess we'll be smoking it out" Sango said then she asked the villages for some ingredients.

"Do you sense a shikon shard Kagome?" Akane looked over at Inu-Yasha his face was harsh and almost untrusting. He had already seen through her disguise?

"Yes" Akane answered, she could feel rumbling under her feet something big was approaching. All of a sudden a huge long monster erupted from the ground letting out a blood curdling scream. Sango swung around throwing what looked like a giant boomerang at the demon. The snake was a lot smarter than it looked as it slithered out of the way. Miroku began to take the rosary from around his arm when the snake's tale lashed out constricting Miroku making it impossible to move. Inu-Yasha drew his Tetsusiga and flew into the air slashing at the snake that dodged and snapped back.

"Kagome shoot it!" Inu-Yasha shouted but Akane was numb, frozen, she had never seen anything as astonishing as these seemingly harmless people unleashing their true powers on such a wicked enemy.

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha roared angrily. Suddenly the beast swerved and lunged at Akane.

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha raced past the demon and jumped in front of Akane swinging the huge blade slicing the snake in half.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why didn't you shoot an arrow at it? You were almost killed!" he scolded angrily putting his ands on her shoulders.

"Thank you…for saving me…sorry I didn't shoot it" Akane said in a dry tone looking away. He stared for awhile and then his hands lifted and he took a few steps away, glaring.

"Go find the shikon shard" he grumbled. The shard sparkled on the still head of the snake demon. Akane picked it up.

"Here it is" Akane handed it to Inu-Yasha.

"What are you…purifying it?" Inu-Yasha said handing it back "It's still tainted"

"Oh of course! Sorry" Akane apologised shoving it into her pocket. She'd have to give it to Kagome to purify when she got back. Akane noticed Miroku living groaning on the ground. She ran over to him.

"Here let me help you" Akane said smiling picking him up. All of a sudden she felt something touching her backside.

"PREVERT!" Akane bellowed punching Miroku so hard he spiralled up into the air. Sango, Shippo and Inu-Yasha stared in disbelief. There was a huge boom as Miroku connected with the ground.

"So um where's the next demon? I think I'm ready to fight now" Akane said a little more energetically.

* * *

Kagome walked slowly out of the school gates sighing. She had had one of the most trying days ever. Kodachi the rose had appeared and challenged her in a duel of gymnastics for ownership of Ranma. Kagome had declined but Kodachi had insisted so now she was going to meet the black leotard clad girl. 

"Inu-Yasha…" she sighed looking at the sky as she headed home.

"Who's' Inu-Yasha?" Ranma appeared from behind Kagome making her jump.

"Uh, um…no-one! I just read about him in a…manga" Kagome tried covering up after all, right now, Ranma was her fiancé.

"You read it in a manga? Yeah right!" Ranma scoffed.

"I did! It was about a girl who accidentally found a way into feudal Japan and she frees a dog demon from an evil spell and together they have to collect the shards of a magical jewel so he can decide if he wants to turn into a full demon and gain great power or" Kagome paused and looked down sighing sadly, the truth of her lie all to real in her heart "turn into a human and be together with the girl he…loves" Ranma looked at Kagome suddenly very seriously.

"Akane…" Ranma said "Who'da thought a dorky girl like you would read a romance manga" Kagome kicked at him hard.

"Shut up!"

Ranma dodged it laughing.

"I hate you!" she shouted chasing after him. Ranma stuck his toung out at her.

"Nya nya!

"Ranma!" Kagome smiled swinging her bag at him "You jerk!"

The couple's laughter rang out in the evenings light. A few hours past fairly quickly and Kagome was putting on her leotard and securing a beanie to hide her shrinking but still there kitty ears. In Akane's closet she found a number of weapons including a mallet, axe, bo stick, wooden sword, real sword a bow and some arrows. Kagome slung the bow and arrows over her shoulder and also took some ropes not sure what to expect of a gymnastics duel. She opened her bedroom door and walked out of it banging into something. She fell backwards much to the horror of the thing that had caused it. Kagome looked up, it was a boy with a bandana on and he had sharp teeth like Inu-Yasha.

"Oh Akane I'm so sorry! I just brought these for you" he said.

"R-Ryoga!" Kagome stuttered remembering Akane's description of the boy. He held out a ribbon, batons, ball and hoop. Kagome's face dropped. She wasn't allowed to use, the bow and arrows.

"Lets go…"Ranma left his room seeing Ryoga holding Akane's hands he finished with "P-Chan and Akane"

"Who's P-Chan?" Ryoga shouted in Ranma's face.

"Where's P-Chan?" Kagome asked missing her piglet.

"I thought I saw him over there but there's no time now lets go" Ranma said grabbing Kagome by the wrist leading her out of the house.

"Ok" Kagome said looking back longingly at the house. The two of them arrived at the gymnastics ring ten minutes later. Kodachi was waiting in the ring sneering.

"Ranma soon you'll be mine!" Kodachi announced laughing. Ranma stared at Kagome with a pleading look.

"Don't worry Ranma" Kagome smiled at her hoop, batons, rope and ball "I can work with these" Kagome jumped into the ring. Katsumi entered the ring and put one arm up.

"No bare handed strikes- only tools- Read, set, and begin!" Katsumi said signalling with her hand. Kodachi whipped her ribbon at Kagome who jumped out of the way. She landed and made a lasso and ran out of the way.

"Stop running, if you are such a coward! Ranma deserves me, not you!" Kodachi thrust a spiked baton at Kagome. One again Kagome evaded the attack rolling out of the way. Kagome picked up a ball as she was rolling then stood up and threw it at Kodachi who parried it with a hoop. Kodachi laughed evilly. She whipped her ribbon out of the ring and when it came back it had a chair attached to it. Kagome cried out falling to the ground in order to dodge the flying chair but she wasn't fast enough and it bashed against her leg.

"OW!" Kagome screamed grabbing the leg of the chair a hurling it back. Kodachi smashed it out of the way and Kagome ran to the right throwing all of her batons one after the other, a small portion hitting their mark the rest being skilfully deflected by the angry Kodachi. Suddenly she attacked with a metal rod that looked like a rope to the untrained eye. Kagome squealed, unaccustomed to the painful hits she was receiving.

"Wa ha ha ha ha! Tendo, you are finished!" Kodachi cackled jumping back and cracking her ribbon.

"I don't think so Kodachi!"

Kagome pulled hard on a rope which fastened around Kodachi's ankles and hoisted her into the air.

"All that dodging and inconsistent attacking was just to put Kodachi in the right place to catch her!" Ranma exclaimed excitably.

"That's right!" Kagome triumphantly shouted. Before Kodachi could do anything to free herself Kagome used the hoop to give her an almighty shove out of the ring and let go of the rope, falling over. Kodachi went flying into a set of seats as Katsumi shouted:

"RING OUT! AKANE TENDO IS THE WINNER!"

Ranma stared on in disbelief remembering back to the hell he went through to win his match with Kodachi yet he was grateful and jumped into the ring to congratulate her.

"I did it" Kagome huffed, standing up suddenly finding herself staring into Ranma's eyes.

"What should I do? What should I do?" Kagome's mind raced "would Akane…kiss him I mean he is her fiancé' Kagome thought hard but Akane had seemed as though she wouldn't kiss him…like she was in denial or something. Kagome decided. She stood up and hugged Ranma tight.

"I won!" she whispered ignoring the pain in hers arms and leg.

"Y-y-yeah" Ranma stuttered "Who'da thought…"

* * *

"What's wrong with you two? You just stopped moving?" Shippo asked looking back at Akane and Inu-Yasha. They turned and stared at each other. 

"I just got a chill up my spine that's all" they said in unison. The group continued along the road, it was beginning to get pretty dark and they had almost reached the village when Inu-Yasha froze and sniffed the air. His face became serious, almost melancholy.

"Keep going on to the village" Inu-Yasha ordered "I'll catch up with you later" he continued jumping out off the path. Akane knew exactly what was going on. There was only one reason for this behaviour shift. Kagome had described it in great detail.

"I don't think so!" Akane rushed after him ignoring Sango and Miroku's warnings to leave him alone "Kagome may not have enough guts to do it but I do it all the time to Ranma!"

She followed him with great resolve; leaping over brooks, slipping through tall grass, ducking under branches till she found them. Inu-Yasha stood firm facing a beautiful women in a miko outfit. She had long black hair and a look matching Inu-Yasha's. She bore a surprising resemblance to Kagome.

"So this is it Kikyo" Akane said rolling up her sleeves and preparing to 'fix' all Kagome's problems.

"Kikyo, I'm confused" Inu-Yasha said softly "I don't know if you care for me or not…you've tried to kill me…you've actually kissed me…you stole our shikon shard and gave it to Naruku – DAMN IT I want answers!" Kikyo blinked and started moving toward Inu-Yasha.

"Oh…Inu-Yasha…"she whispered sympathetically beginning to put her arms around him.

"THAT'S QUITE FAR ENOUGH MISSY! DROP THE ACT AND STEP AWAY FROM THE DOG DEMON!" Akane's voice boomed through the small clearing.


	3. What should i say?

"What? How is it that I cannot sense you?" Kikyo looked all around her.

"Kagome?" Inu-Yasha asked also searching his surroundings for Kagome.

"My arrow is pointed at your heart, Kikyo so if you don't want a rather nasty piercing I suggest you leave now!" Akane shouted again, Kikyo took a few steps back glaring around. Suddenly Inu-Yasha stepped in front of her, much to the shock of Akane and Kikyo. Akane lowered her arrow out of amazement. She felt a squeeze in her heart and a little sick.

"Did Inu-Yasha love Kikyo? Did Kagome know?" Akane's mind questioned.

"I-Inu-Yasha?" he heard Akane's voice questioned "Is she…do you care for her more than…me?" Kikyo called her soul skimmers and before they knew it she was gone with only her voice left fading in the air.

"Tell then, Inu-Yasha don't forget me"

"KAGOME!" Inu-Yasha roared but Akane was already heading for the well. Kagome had to know. She could hear Inu-Yasha's feet scraping through the dirt and grass and realised, with surprise, how scared she was. What if he was mad? She'd seen what he could do! Of course he was mad, she threatened to kill Kikyo.

"Kagome!" he called loudly.

"Leave me alone!" Akane shouted back.

"Stop running!" Inu-Yasha growled as they dodged and weaved between trees and branches.

"I don't wanna be here right now! I'm going home! Don't follow me!" Akane tripped over a brush and grazed her knee. She pushed herself to her feet quickly, ignoring the mud, now all over her uniform, and kept running. Akane ran past Sango, Miroku and Shippo.

"Inu-Yasha what did you do!" Miroku yelled as Inu-Yasha flew past them. Akane pelted toward the well which had come into view. She leapt into it, but in her fearful state she banged her head against one of the edges and dizzily floated down. Akane cringed but relaxed. She had made it. Her eyes were closed and her body drifted gently through time.

"Kagome, get back here!" Akane's eyes shot open to see Inu-Yasha floating after her.

"Wha-" she gasped but then remembered he could go through the well too.

"Please, Inu-Yasha, I just want to go home" she pleaded. Inu-Yasha's expression softened but the determination didn't vanish.

"Kagome…" Inu-Yasha reached out for Akane calling to her gently. Akane closed her eyes and looked away but was surprised to feel him pull her to him, catching her, as they landed in the present. She opened his eyes to see a worried expression on his face, so close to hers.

"Will you come back again?" there was sadness in his voice, not like how he sounded when he felt Kikyo's presence but almost…tender in a way. Her eyes closed again so tired and sleepy after such a difficult day.

"Yes" she said softly falling asleep in a very un-Akane like manor.

* * *

Kagome gasped at the shock she received.

"C-mon you didn't hit it that hard!" Ranma teased after Kagome hit Akane's punching bag for the tenth time.

"I've got to go!" Kagome exclaimed running out of the training hall. Ranma watched her go; jumping down from the ceiling to follow her but his path was blocked.

"Yo Ryoga, back from Kyoto so soon?" Ranma smugly asked "Did you bring back the milk Akane asked you to get when she sent you down the street to the shops?" Ryoga scowled but ignored him.

"There's something wrong with Akane"

Meanwhile Kagome had pelted out of the house, forgetting she was wearing a gi or trying to be inconspicuous, she headed for the shrine. Kagome had sensed the Shikon Shards.

"Akane's not meant to be back for five days! What is going on?" Kagome thought to herself as she ran "I wonder if Inu-Yasha is here…"

Kagome rounded a corner and flew into the shrine grounds. However she came to a screeching stop, her breath catching in her throat, at the sight laid out before her. It took a moment for her brain to snap back to life. Inu-Yasha was carrying Akane who was a bit bruised and muddy, holding her to him. Holding! Not accompanying or arguing with. Holding! It took Ranma's loud call coming not to far in the distance to snap Kagome back to awareness.

"Oh my god, what do I do!" Kagome's mind congered up a terrible vision of Ranma seeing Inu-Yasha holding the hurt Akane. There is no way Ranma would just stand by and see some demon holding Akane, and in the imminent fight there is no way he would win either, Inu-Yasha could easily cut him to ribbons for trying to take who he thought was Kagome away.

"SIT!" Kagome commanded "SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!" Inu-Yasha, dropping Akane, went slamming into the ground again and again till he was unconscious. Then Kagome dashed out and dragged Akane into the bushes. She then pulled Inu-Yasha back into the shrine and dropped him down the well whispering a deep heartfelt apology and promising a meal to make up for it.

"Akane?" Ranma's voice came from the doorway behind her. Huffing Kagome turned around and smiled.

"Yes"

"I want to ask you what's going on. You're up to something" Ranma said.

"Up to? What would I be up to?"

"You've been acting…weird?"

"Weird?"

"Yeah you haven't managed to pound me for two days; you almost let Kuno kiss you, you've been really…friendly and you've been sleeping very softly"

"Softly? Have you been watching me sleep?"

"NO! Its just you usually…kick the walls, and talk in your sleep and stuff" Ranma said shuffling his feet.

"Ok!" Kagome moaned exhaustibly "Just go home! I'll come home soon and we can talk about it"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about! Your total lack of macho-ness is ruining the comedic equilibrium of the comic!" Ranma shouted.

"Comic? What are you-? Oh! Just go!" Kagome roared feeling a strange growing need to hit him with an oversized mallet. She watched him leave and once she was sure he was gone she ran to Akane who was coming to.

"Uh…"Akane whined as she looked up at Kagome "Kagome…"

"Are you ok…and um why was Inu-Yasha carrying you?"

"Listen Kagome…Inu-Yasha I found him with…Kikyo and when I told her to go away he defended her. I thought you should know. And he was holding me because when I jumped into the well I hit my head on the way down and I was dizzy so he carried me." Akane said almost fully awake now, she looked at Kagome who was gazing in a downward direction with a cheerless expression.

"I honestly don't know how you deal with that hot-headed, moody dog-demon!" Akane proclaimed suddenly and loudly, standing up and dusting herself off. Kagome looked up in surprise then smiled.

"I got use to him over time but I don't know how you deal with that annoying teasing pain in the rear!" Kagome snorted slowly standing up too. They simultaneously sighed.

"You wanna swap back?" Kagome asked with an air that suggested she already knew the answer. Akane's expression hardened, her stubbornness returning to her.

"No we said we were going to swap for a week and that's what we're going to do!" Akane announced.

"Ok" Kagome agreed, slightly begrudgingly.

"Will you be ok to get to my home by yourself?" Kagome asked as she wobbily got to her feet.

"Yeah I'll be fine, I can handle it!" Akane answered, Kagome didn't doubt it.

"See you later then" Kagome waved as she headed home.

"Bye!" Akane shouted in the distance. Kagome trudged down the street in the light of the rising sun. Kagome thought of her home and family, which brought on a pain in her heart and tears to her eyes. She walked up the path of the Tendo household, through the door, down the hall and into her room. Kagome dropped onto her bed and fell asleep immediately.

* * *

Akane awoke very slowly to see Miroku, Sango and Shippo going about their morning businesses. The sun was pretty high in the sky by now and Akane wondered what time it was.

"You guys let me sleep in" Akane yawned happily, stretching. All eyes turned to her.

"Yes…it seemed that you had a really tough night last night so we thought you'd like to sleep in. However…Inu-Yasha…" Shippo said slowly with a nervous smile as he jumped up onto Akane's shoulder.

"What's wrong with Inu-Yasha?"

"He's very angry at you" Miroku informed her.

"Why?"

"Well…we think it had to do with whatever happened between you two last night. Maybe you should apologise that usually calms him down" Sango suggested.

"Ok then, where is he?" she asked looking around becoming aware of his absence.

"There" Sango pointed to an Inu-Yasha shaped dot up a tall tree a few meters away. Akane walked over to the tree and rolled up her sleeves. She began climbing up the tree. Branch by branch Inu-Yasha's form became larger and more detailed. Soon enough she could see the angry, annoyed expression on his face.

"Hey" Akane called. Inu-Yasha ignored her. She climbed up behind him and sat on a branch a meter below and away from him.

"I don't know what I did but I'm sorry, Ok! So will you just come down here" Akane apologised irritably. However Inu-Yasha continued to take no notice of her. Akane sighed, she hadn't sounded very sincere, and she wasn't use to someone who wouldn't argue back as a sign of forgiveness.

"Inu-Yasha" Akane said softly. One of his ears flicked up in recognition.

"I am really sorry" Inu-Yasha looked over his shoulder at Akane. She was smiling apologetically.

"Feh" Inu-Yasha snorted. Suddenly the tree fell out from under them. Inu-Yasha leapt from the falling tree and looked down to see Sango catching her boomerang bone.

"What the hell are you doing?" He shouted down at her.

"Inu-Yasha!" Akane screamed as she fell toward the ground. Inu-Yasha gasped realizing he wouldn't reach her in time.

"KAGOME!" Inu-Yasha shouted reaching for her as he fell too. At the last second Akane disappeared in a cloud of dust. Inu-Yasha landed and watched the dust blow away. Akane was gone.

"What? Where is she! Sango, what were you thinking?" Inu-Yasha snarled turning to Sango. His eyes widened at the vacant expressions on his companions faces. They were being controlled by someone.

"Kana…KANA! Come out here and fight me face to face!" Inu-Yasha barked. A little white ghost like girl appeared from behind a tree. Inu-Yasha clenched his teeth and drew his sword. The odds were stacked against him with Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kana preparing themselves for battle.

"You appear to be in a fix dear pup" a smug voice announced. Inu-Yasha sighed this was not his day. He searched for the source and sure enough found a mangy wolf demon clutching an angry Akane in his arms.

"Let go of me!" Akane shouted punching Koga in the face. Inu-Yasha sneered. Out of shock, Koga dropped Akane.

"Ow!" Akane exclaimed as she landed on the ground. Akane glared up at Koga, who was holding his red cheek. She felt bad suddenly.

"Thanks for catching me…"

"Is there a problem Kagome?" Koga asked.

"No…no problem"

"Well then it is good to see you again, sorry I frightened you" Koga fondly said, then a huge wind blew out of no-where "Then let's go" He said picking her up again.

"Farewell dear pup, I leave you to play with your friends!" Koga said exiting. Inu-Yasha turned to face the source of the wind. It was Miroku, hand unsealed advancing toward him. The wind tunnel blew harder and was starting to pull Inu-Yasha in.

"Curse IT!" Inu-Yasha bellowed, unable to save Sango, Shippo or Miroku he had no choice but to flee to follow Akane and Koga.

"Kagome! Kagome! Koga bring her back! Kagome if you don't use your arrows to shoot Kana's mirror Sango, Miroku and Shippo will become minions to Naruku!" while Akane didn't want to punch Koga again but she didn't want her new friends to becomes Naruku's slaves more

"Please take me back to Inu-Yasha; I have to save my friends!" Akane said pushing away from Koga. He stoped and put her down then glared at her.

"You're being very unfamiliar with me" Koga growled in a low voice. Akane took a few steps back. He brought his face close to hers, much to close and sniffed.

"You're not Kagome" he grunted.

"Yes I am!" Akane hastily argued. Koga gave a disbelieving snort before taking of leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. Inu-Yasha finally caught up and Akane jumped onto his back.

"Where did that scruffy fleabag go?" Inu-Yasha snapped looking left and right for Koga.

"We don't have time for that now, let's go save them" Akane shouted and Inu-Yasha nodded in obedience. The two of them shot of in the direction of Kana and the others. As Inu-Yasha ducked and swerved through the trees Akane came to the realisation that she wouldn't be able to pierce Kana's mirror. She looked down at her hands knowing the amount of spiritual power in them was about as powerful as Inu-Yasha's unconditional kindness. She would have to tell Inu-Yasha she wasn't Kagome.

"Inu-Yasha I have to go home for a minute" Akane said begging he would do it without question.

"Why?"

No such luck.

"Because I have…special arrows there"

"Don't lie Kagome"

"I'm not!"

"Are you scared?"

"No!"

"Then let's keep going"

"Just take me home!"

Inu-Yasha glared up at Akane.

"There's no time!"

"Ok…I was lying, only cause I was scared you'd get really angry. I-I left the Shikon shard there by accident. I'm sorry but if I don't quickly go home and get it some demon might"

"WHAT!" Inu-Yasha snarled shoving them roughly to the right, now heading for the well. When they were close he reached up taking a firm hold on her.

"I'll distract Kana, get the damn jewel and get back here!" he roared tossing her with all his might. Akane screamed as she dropped through the air but surprisingly landed squarely in the well.

* * *

Kagome sat up in bed feeling the presence of the shard drawing closer. She stumbled sleepily out from under her covers and opened the curtain peering out into the light. Kagome jumped at the sight of Akane leaping into the back yard.

"Kagome! Get down here! It's an emergency!" Akane hissed in an attempt to whisper loudly. Kagome quickly got dressed and ran down out into the yard.

"Sango, Miroku and Shippo are in trouble! Kana has put them all under her control and Inu-Yasha needs you to pierce her mirror in order to save them" Akane said worriedly handing Kagome the Shikon shards, pure and tainted, and her bow and arrows.

"Ok!" Kagome said laughing into fighting mode "I'll handle it! You stay here and take my place!"

"Meet you tomorrow at the same place we first met at three!" Akane called as Kagome pelted off down the street.

"Ok!" Kagome shouted now almost out of sight.

"Good luck Kagome…"


	4. Wanna be mine?

A/N Thank you all so much for waiting, sorryfor taking so long,its just i've been so VERY busy lately and this was a long chapter to type up but now its done. The last in this story, so as usual read, enjoyand review :)

Inu-Yasha entered the clearing where Kana had been but she was gone.

"Kana!" Inu-Yasha shouted "You want some Shikon Shards! I've got some right here so come and get em! KANA! BRING THEM OUT TO ME!"He called, his voice echoing all around "KANA!" the wind hissed through the trees and Inu-Yasha felt so alienated and alone. He could not smell Kana and she was semi-transparent, she was hard to hunt. He drew the Tetsusaiga staring wildly around. Then she appeared walking through the tree in the distance, with her three body guards. Inu-Yasha prepared himself. Sango was the to attack throwing her boomerang bone. Inu-Yasha jumped to dodge it flying at Sango at the same time. Before he could knock her out Shippo leaped in front of her and threw his huge spinning top on Inu-Yasha.

"RUH!" Inu-Yasha struggled to get out from underneath. Miroku stepped up to the top beginning to untie his wind tunnel. Inu-Yasha shoved the giant gyrating toy off him and tackled Miroku sinking his fist into the monks' stomach. Miroku coffed and passed out. Just as Inu-Yasha stood up 5 Shippo's leapt onto him. Inu-Yasha swiftly beat every one of them on the head and watched them all faint. Suddenly Inu-Yasha felt a jabbing pain in his back and swung around to see Sango holding a bloody dagger. She lunged at Inu-Yasha who ducked kicking her precisely in the back of the head putting her out.

"Kana!" Inu-Yasha snarled at the little girl but before he could do anything she held the mystical mirror she always carried up. Inu-Yashas' eyes blurred as he watched his soul leave his body and enter Kana's mirror.

"Inu-Yasha!"

A horrified scream cut through the air. Kana looked up in time to see an arrow smashing into her mirror. The souls contained within burst free. Kagome came running into the clearing another arrow at the ready.

"Get lost or I'll shoot again" she cried. Kana turned slowly and quietly walking away. Kagome ran to Inu-Yasha who was stirring.

"Uh…Ka…go…me…" He said slowly looking up from the ground.

"Inu-Yasha" Kagome put her arms around his shoulders "I missed you"

"What are you talking about you just ran off and left me to-" Inu-Yasha snapped but didn't finish. Kagome's arms were so warm and caring he couldn't help but become calm and relaxed.

"You could have been gentler with everyone" Kagome sighed staring around at her three unconscious friends.

"They weren't being gentle with me!" Inu-Yasha whined loudly leaning back.

"But they were being controlled!"

"I couldn't just stand there and let them lay into me!"

"You should have just waited for me to come back!"

"You shouldn't have left"

Everything had been returned to normal. Later that night Kagome and Akane swapped again determined to wait out the rest of the week in opposite worlds.

* * *

Akane strolled cheerily down the street in the midday sun. It was the seventh day and she was headed to meet up with Kagome to talk about the last few days in their different worlds. She entered Wac Donalds and sat down waiting for Kagome to turn up. Akane ordered her meal, smiling until she noticed Ranma who was standing across the street. He looked away the second her eyes met his.

"I wonder what he's up to" Akane thought out allowed. Ranma suddenly looked down the street and stared. Akane frowned and followed his gaze. Akane gasped in shocked. Who should be walking down the street but Kagome in a short skirt and flowery T-shirt. Kagome was beaming. Akane glared at her then returned her gaze to Ranma who was facing away from Kagome. She walked into Wac Donald's and over to Akane.

"Hi" she said sitting down.

"You're in a good mood today, Kagome" Akane said in a low voice.

"I know…what's wrong?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Oh nothing" Akane sighed and decided there was nothing she could do to but try to cheer up "Listen, I think we should move. Ranma's out on the street and if he sees us he'll suspect something" Akane told Kagome standing up.

"Yes of course" Kagome agreed subtly glancing at Ranma as they moved to a seat the back of the restraint. Ranma frowned. Akane had seen him, now he was going to have to be sneaky now. He crept across the street and strolled casually past the store. Then Ranma sneered filling a bucket of water that was a little way down an alleyway and poured it over himself, becoming a girl. She then walked down further and slipped in through a side door the lead into the restaurant's kitchen. Ranma grabbed a cleaning lady uniform and put it on. Now with a mask, hat and uniform she unidentifiable.

"Heh now I'll find out what you're up to" Ranma announced fire in her eyes. She walked out of the kitchen and made her way over to where Akane was sitting, eyes downcast. Ranma turned her back to them and started mopping.

"Inu-Yasha isn't that bad…I mean he can be kind and protective…" Ranma heard one say, she thought it was Akane.

"Are you going to ask him to the dance again?"

"You know what happened the first time!"

"Yeah well Ranma's not going to take you"

"I know" She laughed.

"Who was this Inu-Yasha?" Ranma's eyes narrowed as she thought angrily.

"So are you even going to bother asking him?"

"No he'll probably just take one of his other fiancés…maybe I should go with Ryoga instead of Inu-Yasha…"

Ranma was furious not only was she not even entertaining the idea of asking him, she didn't care! The next line made Ranma snap.

"Anyone but Ranma" she giggled.

"ANYONE BUT ME HUH!" Ranma roared spinning around and facing the table. Kagome quickly looked away. Akane stared at Kagome then stood up obviously far more adept at confrontation.

"Are you spying on me!" Akane screamed.

"Only cause you've been acting weird lately!" Ranma shouted back.

"Well excuse me for being-" Akane begun but Ranma cut her off.

"Non-macho, quiet, nice?"

"If that's how you think that's how I've been acting your about to get a fistful of reality!"

"An I was just startin to think you were cute, boy was I wrong!"

Suddenly the restraint went completely silent. Akane stared blankly in shock. Kagome got up pulling the hat, still concealing her slowly disappearing cat ears, over her eyes and looking down. She pushed past Ranma and left.

"I hate you!" Akane bellowed throwing her food and milkshake over Ranma's head "Why don't you clean that up? And don't think I'll come apologising any time soon!" she continued exiting.

"BUILT LIKE A BRICK, THIGHS ARE TOO THICK, CAN'T EVEN KICK, DUMMY, MACHO, JERK!" Ranma insulted her with all her might as Akane walked out of the diner. After a while he went home and got changed (in both senses). He walked outside into the garden and started training. He kicked, punched, ran and jumped unaware he was being watched. Kagome sat in Akane's bedroom gazing down at Ranma. A smile touched her lips. It was very flattering to hear someone like Ranma say she was cute. She shook her head and stood unable to shake the smile but in her heart was wishing it was Inu-Yasha who had complimented her so.

"Well guess I'd better get ready for the dance"

* * *

Akane climbed out of the well. This was the last night she would spend in the feudal realm, the night of the dance.

"Hey" Akane looked up to see Inu-Yasha leaning against a tree, waiting for her.

"Hey" Akane replied grinning, beginning to enjoy his receptions. He waited for her, he wanted to see her.

"That dance thing is on tonight" Inu-Yasha said, unmoving.

"Yes…and?" Akane asked slowly. The sun was sinking below the horizon by now, casting its final golden ray, the sky turning a darkening blue. Inu-Yasha pushed away from the tree moving into the moons soft glow. Suddenly his hair started turning black, his dog ears slowly receded to the side of his head forming human ears. His sharp claws disappeared and as his eyes opened the gold blaze dimmed to a beautiful violet. He was human. Akane stared mouth hanging open. Akane had been told about his strange transformation but this was amazing. He almost looked like Ranma now…an odd resemblance, like they were brothers.

"Do you still wish to go?" He asked his usual discontented look plastered on his face.

"Yes" Akane answered dumbly. Inu-Yasha muttered something under his breath and walked over to her.

"Then lets go" he said jumping into the well. Akane was barely able to believe what she'd heard and quickly followed him. Meanwhile at the Tendo house Kagome stood before a full length mirror admiring her reflection. She had a pretty clip in her hair, a red skirt on, black knee high boots and a white t-shirt. There was a knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in Kagome called cheerily. Ranma opened the door and shuffled in.

"Um, uh…so are you going to the dance?" Ranma asked fidgeting.

"Yes" Kagome answered shortly, remembering what he supposedly had said about her earlier.

"Have you got…are you going with anyone?" Ranma stuttered shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Nope. I guess I'll be going alone, after all the trouble it caused" she growled, faking annoyance as she picked up her bag.

"What if I…I mean if you don't want me to I wont…then I'd stay home…but maybe you'd want me to" Ranma zipped from one end of the room to the other trying to voice his thoughts. Kagome smiled sighing; since she wasn't really angry at him at all it was foolish to deny him this.

"Sure I'll go with you" Kagome answered Ranma's question, putting on black hat and holding her hand out waiting for him to take it. He sheepishly, averting his face, took her hand and walked out of the room and down the hall.

"Dad. We're going to a dance and be back late!" Kagome called out as she left they house.

* * *

Akane stoped short of the dance room and looked back at Inu-Yasha. She had put his long black hair in a plat, not because of Ranma, simply to make his over lengthy hair look a little more normal. He was wearing blue jeans and a slightly tight black shirt outlining his usually hidden muscles, he could help pulling at it unappreciatively finding it annoyingly uncomfortable. While he looked normal enough she couldn't help but feel edgy.

"Now remember-" Akane began but was cut off.

"Don't attack anything unless you say so" Inu-Yasha recited, a spike of annoyance in his voice. He walked over and stood next to Akane.

"Just trust me" He said gently his expression a little more tender than usual and walked into the party. The music was loud and Inu-Yasha's face twisted into a scowl.

"OH! INU-YASHA I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T REALIZE, I FORGOT YOUR HEARING WAS SO SENSATIVE!" Akane shouted making Inu-Yasha flinched. He was not use to so much noise and movement; it might have been a riot for all he knew. The music quieted down between the current song and the next. Akane drifted over and pulled Inu-Yasha along with her, out onto the dance floor. The music started up again and Akane began to dancing and smiling. Inu-Yasha began moving to the beat, trying intently to copy some of the things the other boys around him were doing. Meanwhile on the other side of the room Kagome bopped into the floor with Ranma by her side.

"Akane I don't want to dance!" Ranma said in her ear.

"Why not, you always seem so comfortable around your peers?" Akane asked. Ranma stared at her fixedly. He knew it was Akane who was making him feel so self conscious but it had never happened before.

"It's nothing I'm going to get a drink" Ranma mumbled walking away, disappearing into the crowd. Kagome giggled continuing to dance around till she noticed a boy that caught her eye. He was not much taller than her, with a long black plat, much longer and thicker than Ranma's. His back was to her but there was something uncannily familiar about him. She slowly made her way over to him then froze seeing who he was dancing with him, it was Akane.

"Inu-Yasha" she whispered in surprise. Then she felt a hand grasp her wrist. She looked back to see Ranma who was glaring in Inu-Yasha's direction.

"Is that Inu-Yasha, Akane?" Ranma asked in a serious tone, so strange coming from him.

"Do you want to know why I've been acting so strange lately?" Kagome asked desperately trying to avoid the fast coming fight between Ranma and Inu-Yasha. Ranma returned his gaze to Kagome.

"Yeah, tell me" Ranma asked his annoyance growing.

"I've been acting weird because-" Kagome thought not wanting to give up her secret "because I-"

"Spit it out" Ranma shouted taking Kagomes other hand in his. Kagome decided to do something she knew Kagome would hate. She suddenly wrapped her arms around him snuggling up to him, blushing madly with embarrassment.

"I saw that boy, and he reminded me of the Inu-Yasha from the Manga and I thought wouldn't it be nice to have someone like him to protect me and be with me. In the end I want the dog demon to choose the girl you see, I wanted him to choose her instead of power and pride and lately that's what's made me act differently because the dog demon is…he reminds me of you" Kagome explained wishing Inu-Yasha was one she was speaking to. Ranma, to Akane's surprise, gently put his arms around her. They swayed to the music on the dance floor and eventually broke apart. Ranma was a deep red colour and Kagome smiled.

"I really…do think you…are cute ya know" Ranma admitted looking away. However when he looked back Kagome was gone. He stared around for a while before going to look for her. Where had she run off to?

* * *

Inu-Yasha had been dancing for a while before he got fed up and decided to go get a drink, leaving Akane behind. He kept his eyes downcast feeling many eyes on him, mostly girls, and his plat. Inu-Yasha skulled a drink of juice as he thought of Kagome. She hadn't seemed quite right lately and he couldn't help but feel wary around her, like…like she wasn't Kagome at all. Suddenly he saw a girl, not Kagome but she was somehow similar. She ran out of the hall and he frowned at the pull in his stomach that told him to follow her. His gut told him to chase her and his gut wasn't often wrong so he did. Slowly and discreetly his pace ever quickening. Kagome bolted down an empty locker bay leading to the street. That was too close, she puffed. Kagome hoped Akane would find Ranma and realise the bet was off cause there was no way she was going back. While she liked Ranma it should have been Akane hearing his confessions, not her.

"Hey"

Just as Kagome was reaching for the door handle she heard a voice, the booming music in the hall still murmuring in the background.

"You dropped this"

She ever so slowly looked over her shoulder. There in the dimly lit room was a handsome boy, holding out a black cap. His shining purple eyes flashed in the dark capturing Kagome in them. His expression was a soft frown.

"Put it on" He said throwing the hat to her, which she caught clumsily.

"Unless you want everyone to think you're a cat" His voice was calm but firm. Kagome gasped shoving her hat over her head.

"I-Inu-Yasha, I-I thought you weren't coming" she stuttered as Inu-Yasha advanced on her.

"Well I did but not with you" His gaze hardened.

"Tell me, what's going on Kagome?" he said sternly bringing her face close to hers.

"Uh…well" Kagome stuttered. He pulled her into his arms suddenly resting his head on hers. She smiled, so happily. This was the second time he'd ever held her but this time she knew he wasn't going to end it by shoving her away. Her arms rested around him too.

"Don't worry about it" Inu-Yasha said softly blush covering his cheeks "It's about time you came back anyway"

"I know" she laughed in a whisper as they stood together in the new moonlight.

* * *

Akane danced around for an hour before she noticed Inu-Yasha was gone. Storming around the room in a huff while she was looking for Inu-Yasha she ran into Ranma.

"Hey Ranma!" Akane called waving. Ranma noticed her and walked over.

"Akane did you get changed?" Ranma asked inquisitively.

"Uh…yeah do you like it?" Akane played along.

"Did you hear what I said before you ran off to get changed?" Ranma asked. Akane shoot her head slowly.

"Well I uh…I really do think…you're cute, ya know" He said forcing the words out. Akane shocked face slowly gave way to a gentle smile.

"Specially when you smile like that" Ranma said even more quietly now. Akane held out her hand and Ranma took it leading her into the middle of the floor where they danced till late into the night.

The End.


End file.
